England cricket star Harry Brook has apologised after being fined £30,000 by the ECB following a drunken night out on the eve of The Ashes
Harry Brook has issued a heartfelt apology after it was revealed he played the Ashes on a final warning from the England and Wales Cricket Board due to a drunken incident in New Zealand.
The incident involved a nightclub bouncer during the One-Day series that took place before the Ashes. The vice-captain of England’s Test team found himself in hot water after a scuffle with a bouncer outside a nightclub, having been refused entry for being intoxicated.
Following the incident in Wellington on 31st October – the eve of the third ODI against New Zealand which England lost, going 3-0 down – Brook was slapped with a £30,000 fine by the ECB.
This altercation came to light at the end of the Ashes, where England suffered a 4-1 defeat against Australia.
Amid a series of embarrassments during the disastrous tour, attention has been drawn to an alleged drinking culture within the squad, particularly following a boozy trip to Noosa between matches.
After being exposed by The Telegraph, Brook has come forward with a statement: “I want to apologise for my actions. I fully accept that my behaviour was wrong and brought embarrassment to both myself and the England team.
“Representing England is the greatest honour of all, which I take seriously and I am deeply sorry for letting down my team-mates, coaches and supporters.
“I have reflected on the lessons it has taught me about responsibility, professionalism and the standards expected of those representing your country,” reports the Mirror.
“I am determined to learn from this mistake and to rebuild trust through my future actions, both on and off the field. I apologise unreservedly and will work hard to ensure this does not happen again.”
An ECB statement revealed: “We are aware of this incident and it has been dealt with through a formal and confidential ECB disciplinary process. The player involved has apologised and acknowledged their conduct fell below expectations on this occasion.”
Brook received the maximum penalty permitted after the white-ball skipper reported the matter to officials.
He escaped injury from the confrontation, which occurred the evening before he turned out and managed just six runs from 11 deliveries in yet another loss to New Zealand ahead of the Ashes series.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould has initiated an inquiry into the Ashes disappointment following Australia’s five-wicket triumph in the fifth Test at Sydney.